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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25637605">drawing hearts in a steamy pane</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/burymeonpluto/pseuds/burymeonpluto'>burymeonpluto</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kingdom Hearts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Hot Chocolate, M/M, Multi, Self-Indulgent, Snowball Fight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:08:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,364</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25637605</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/burymeonpluto/pseuds/burymeonpluto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sora's and Vanitas's snow day plans consist of two things:</p>
<p>1) Have a nice cup of hot cocoa<br/>2) Obliterate Riku with snowballs the instant they see him</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Sora/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Sora/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>drawing hearts in a steamy pane</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this in February shhh</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
<br/>
Vanitas shakes off the snow as he stomps back into the apartment. “I can’t believe you dragged me along for that. Don’t ask me for anything else. I’m spent.”<br/>
<br/>
Sora slides in front of him, all sunshine and sugar-sweet grin, and tugs the beanie off Vanitas’s head. “C’mon. It wasn’t that bad.”<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas pokes his nose, so cold Sora can’t even feel it. “It’s a blizzard,” he pouts.<br/>
<br/>
“That’s why we needed hot cocoa. Duh.” Vanitas remains unimpressed as he peels off his coat, speckled with melting snowflakes. Sora sets the shopping bags of ingredients on the table. Milk: whole and sweetened condensed; cocoa powder; and red table wine. That should be everything. “Also: it was a short walk.”<br/>
<br/>
“I can’t feel my face.”<br/>
<br/>
“That’s because you don’t have a scarf. I told you to wear mine.”<br/>
<br/>
He only huffs. His nose and ears are still rosy with cold, and it’s <em>cute</em><span>.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
</span><span>Sora</span><span> reaches over and brushes some </span><span>stray</span><span> snow from </span><span>Vanitas’s</span><span> hair. </span><span>The frosted,</span><span> unruly spikes </span><span>that</span><span> couldn’t be contained beneath </span><span>his</span><span> knit hat. “</span><span>I’ll </span><em>make</em><span> you wear a scarf next time. Even if we have to</span><span> share </span><span>the same one.</span><span>”<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas squishes </span><span>his</span><span> cheeks with both hands. </span><span>T</span><span>hey’re so cold </span><span>that </span><span>Sora jumps </span><span>at the contact</span><span>. “</span><span>Oh, a</span><span>nd when you slip on some ice, you’ll take me down with you! I don’t think so!”<br/>
<br/>
“Aw, Vani!” Sora laughs. He guides those frozen hands beneath his coat. They rest tentatively </span><span>at</span><span> his waist, </span><span>and </span><span>he</span><span> shivers</span><span>. “You’re always so cold.”<br/>
<br/>
That grin of his is anything but. “Then hurry up and make that hot </span><span>cocoa</span><span> we just </span><em>had</em><span> to have.”<br/>
<br/>
“That’s the plan!” he beams. “We’re gonna surprise Riku when he gets back.”<br/>
<br/>
“Can’t we just pummel him with snowballs from the balcony?”<br/>
<br/>
Sora </span><span>mirrors</span><span> Vanitas’s smirk. “How about both?”<br/>
<br/>
“Deal.”</span><span><br/>
<br/>
Sora lays a kiss on his cheek. It’s time to get to work. </span><span><br/>
<br/>
–<br/>
<br/>
Riku feels the first snowball hit him as he’s making his way across the parking lot. It’s a clean hit against his chest that crushes into the fabric of his overcoat. He glances up to find Vanitas </span><span>on the second floor, </span><span>grinning over the balcony railing. His arm is already reeled back for another attack. </span><span>And here Riku thought he’d made it home safely, but the hazardous road conditions are apparently the least of his worries</span><span>.<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas throws the second snowball, and Riku easily sidesteps it. “What are you doing?” he shouts </span><span>so Vanitas can hear him all the way up there</span><span>.<br/>
<br/>
“It’s called an ambush!” he yells back, and tosses another ball. This one is fast, and hits Riku in the face. Vanitas explodes with </span><span>victorious </span><span>laughter.<br/>
<br/>
Riku instantly dumps his things on</span><span>to</span><span> the sidewalk and scoops up a handful of still-falling snow. “That’s it!” He sends the ice ball rocketing up to the balcony, where it smashes against the railing and showers Vanitas with snow.<br/>
<br/>
“Nice shot,” he taunts, and launches another snowball that Riku nimbly dodges.<br/>
<br/>
“I could say the same to you!”<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>Vanitas seems to have an entire arsenal of snowballs up there. He and Riku trade blows for several minutes, until Riku’s hands are entirely numb, and Vanitas’s hair is spotted with snow. But Riku won’t let him win so easily.<br/>
<br/>
He tosses another snowball that glances across Vanitas’s shoulder. “Is that all you got?”<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>Vanitas holds up his hands. If it wasn’t for that grin, Riku would think he’s admitting defeat. “</span><span>Now</span><span>!”<br/>
<br/>
“Huh?”<br/>
<br/>
Sora appears from beneath the stairwell and levels Riku with a </span><span>gigantic snowball the size of a boulder</span><span>. </span><span>It hits hard, and </span><span>leaves</span> <span>Riku lay</span><span>ing</span> <span>under</span><span> a </span><span>heavy </span><span>pile of snow. </span><span>Riku stares into the cloudy sky, wondering how Sora was </span><span>able to lift such a thing. He hears Vanitas shrieking with laughter on the balcony, </span><span>and</span><span> Sora’s worried face </span><span>instantly pops into</span><span> view. “Riku! Are you okay?”<br/>
<br/>
“Yeah… I think so.”<br/>
<br/>
“Sorry, I—I didn’t think you would, uh,” Sora sputters. He can’t stifle his laugh. “I didn’t think it’d be heavy enough to knock you down.”<br/>
<br/>
“I feel like I was hit with a truck.”<br/>
<br/>
He digs Riku out from beneath the rubble. </span><span>At least his smile is warm. </span><span>“</span><span>Nah, just an ambush.” </span><span>He carefully brushes the snow from Riku’s hair and shoulders, fingers light and hesitating.<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>The timing is too good. Riku digs into the </span><span>excess snow</span><span> and hits Sora point-blank.<br/>
<br/>
“Hey!” He latches onto Riku’s wrists, and they both fall into a heap on the icy ground, laughing the whole way down. Snow works its way into their hair, coats, and even shoes. Riku feels it melt cool and uncomfortable through layers of fabric.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
</span><span>Vanitas </span><span>predictably </span><span>begins pelting them with more snowballs </span><span>while they’re distracted</span><span>. </span><span>He must be pouting at being left out of the fun.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
Sora </span><span>holds up</span><span> his arms as a shield. “Vani! This isn’t what we planned!”<br/>
<br/>
“</span><span>Yeah, and</span><span>?” </span><span>Vanitas sneers.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
Riku laughs. He isn’t surprised at all.<br/>
<br/>
“Knock it off!”<br/>
<br/>
“Come up here and make me!”<br/>
<br/>
Sora purses his lips. “</span><span>You got it</span><span>!” He grabs onto Riku’s numbed fingers and pulls him </span><span>along</span><span>. They race up the stairs and through the apartment, not caring that they’re tracking snow, and storm onto the balcony—where Vanitas stands waiting with a fistful of snow for each of them.<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>He throws both snowballs—</span><span>two clean hits</span><span>—but now he’s unarmed.<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>Sora sends Riku a sidelong glance. </span><span>A</span><span> knowing smirk. He doesn’t need to say anything else. Riku already knows.<br/>
<br/>
Sora takes the lead and goes after Vanitas’s wrists. </span><span>Their hands</span><span> lock together </span><span>as they</span><span> stand in a dead heat, challenging grins mirror images of each other. Riku scoops a handful of snow during their struggle. He creeps up like a shadow, yanks on Vanitas’s collar, and deposits the snow beneath his shirt.<br/>
<br/>
The noise that comes out of Vanitas’s moth is the most guttural, undignified shriek Riku has ever heard. What a reaction! Mr. Unflappable himself! </span><span>Riku and Sora couldn’t stop laughing if they wanted to</span><span>—even as Vanitas chases them back inside with raised fists and a long string of expletives. His ruby-red face nulls any threats he can make.<br/>
<br/>
“Get back here!” he roars.<br/>
<br/>
Sora flees into the kitchen and away from Vanitas’s wrath, still howling with mirth.<br/>
<br/>
Riku is only two steps behind him, but Vanitas is quick, and launches himself at Riku’s back. They fall into a heap on the floor with Vanitas wrestling for supremacy. “Sora! Get the cocoa! I’m gonna pour it into his eyes!”<br/>
<br/>
“</span><span>You got it!” Sora chimes.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
Riku tries in vain to swat him away. He can’t do much through his laughter. His stomach is already hurting, even as Vanitas glares down over him. </span><span>Riku can’t catch his breath. </span><span>“Wow, Vanitas—I had no idea you could reach that octave.”<br/>
<br/>
“Shut it!”<br/>
<br/>
He hears Sora snicker from the kitchen. “</span><span>But your face was priceless!” </span><span>He’s already moved on to </span><span>rummaging through </span><span>some</span><span> shopping bags</span><span>, l</span><span>ike he doesn’t notice anything else. It’s almost as if Vanitas and Riku throwing each other to the ground is a regular occurrence. “I’d say it was worth it.”<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas does his best to look angry—to snarl and scowl and strike fear into their hearts—but all Riku can see is a pout. Vanitas doesn’t usually wear that sort of expression. That’s more of Sora’s thing. It’s kind of cute.<br/>
<br/>
But it’s </span><em>not</em><span> cute when Vanitas’s frozen fingers find the hem of Riku’s shirt, and he lays his cold, cold palms against Riku’s abdomen. Riku pulls a quick breath through his teeth. It’s like the touch of a corpse! “Sora!” Riku yelps, but Vanitas isn’t having it.<br/>
<br/>
“Don’t drag him into this! This is between you and me!” Icy digits crawl farther up Riku’s chest. Vanitas puts on his most wicked smile. “What happened to all that confidence, </span><span>Starshine</span><span>?”<br/>
<br/>
Riku squirms in protest. He needs a quip—something, anything to say to knock Vanitas off-balance again. He searches his brain, but it’s iced over. He can’t think. Vanitas’s hands are so cold. His grin is so sharp. That laughter is soft and taunting in Riku’s ears. The smell of melting chocolate drifts from the kitchen as Sora scurries noisily around in the next room.<br/>
<br/>
Huh. Maybe this isn’t so bad.<br/>
<br/>
Riku reaches up and grabs Vanitas’s collar, still damp with </span><span>leftover</span><span> snow, and pulls him down into a kiss. </span><span>Instantly, </span><span>Vanitas stops fighting and melts against him, </span><span>cold hands creeping around his waist</span><span>. Riku can’t stop </span><span>his</span><span> grin. Got him.<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>Vanitas </span><span>props himself up on his elbows</span><span>. He’s still pouting. “I can’t stand you.”<br/>
<br/>
“Liar,” Riku smirks, and pulls him back in.<br/>
<br/>
Sora passes above them </span><span>a moment later</span><span>. He laughs through his nose. “Get a room.”<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas pops up again. “You offering?”<br/>
<br/>
“Nah. Only cocoa.” He holds up two steaming mugs with his signature, sugary-sweet smile. “So get up! It’s ready.”</span><span><br/>
<br/>
</span><span>Vanitas groans as he climbs off of Riku. </span><span>Sweat </span><span>suddenly</span><span> breaks across the back of his neck, and he realizes h</span><span>e forgot to take off his overcoat. They both did. They were too distracted by the chase. Vanitas peels the garment off and tosses it somewhere.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
Sora </span><span>beckons them over to the dining table. It’s littered with soggy hats and junk mail, </span><span>but Sora shoves it all to the side to make room for the mugs and carafe. He</span> <span>passes </span><span>a warm cup to </span><span>each of</span><span> them</span><span>,</span><span> filled with a lumpy, purple concoction. </span><span>Vanitas’s face crunches up. </span><span>Wasn’t this supposed to be hot </span><span>cocoa</span><span>?<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>He</span><span> takes a cautious sniff of the drink and it smells like red wine. He curls his lip. “What’s wrong with it?”<br/>
<br/>
Sora gives a sheepish grin </span><span>as he pours his own mug</span><span>. “Oh. Well… There was a recipe I wanted to try out, but I forgot to temper the wine when I added it in. So the milk kinda… curdled.”<br/>
<br/>
“Looks disgusting.”<br/>
<br/>
“It’s fine!” Sora insists. He takes a </span><span>sip</span><span>, just to prove it. “It’s just a texture thing.”<br/>
<br/>
Riku frowns into </span><span>his</span><span> mug. Looks like he’s not excited about it either. “</span><span>Is the entire batch like this?</span><span>”<br/>
<br/>
“I </span><span>don’t</span><span> wanna waste it,” </span><span>he mumbles.</span> <span>That look. The wide blue eyes and soft, pouted lips. </span><span>The</span><span> stupid, hopeful gleam that Vanitas </span><em>cannot</em><span> say no to.<br/>
<br/>
He and Riku sigh in unison. They’re both weak, and Sora knows it.<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>So </span><span>Vanitas takes a sip of the weird wine and cocoa mixture. The taste isn’t bad—</span><span>it’s just chocolate and wine, after all—</span><span>but the texture is strange—like tiny lumps of jelly floating atop an otherwise normal beverage. The feel of it in his mouth makes his skin crawl.<br/>
<br/>
“It tastes better than I thought,” Riku admits.<br/>
<br/>
Sora sticks out his tongue. “Told you!”<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas is </span><span>strongly</span><span> considering drinking his through a straw. He could bypass the weird cap of lumps that way.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
“</span><span>What about you, Vani?”<br/>
<br/>
It’s no good. His jaw is tightening up. “</span><span>It’s lumpy.”<br/>
<br/>
Sora frowns. That’s even worse. “</span><span>It’s okay</span><span>. You don’t have to drink it.”<br/>
<br/>
“I’ll drink it.”<br/>
<br/>
“Vani—”<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>He takes a huge gulp, despite the lumps, the heat, and his throat closing in on itself. He doesn’t stop until the drink is gone, and his mouth is on fire.<br/>
<br/>
“</span><span>Hey—! </span><span>Careful</span><span>!</span><span>” Sora frets. “It’s hot!”<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas </span><span>discards</span><span> the empty mug, </span><span>gasping like he’</span><span>s</span><span> just run a marathon. </span><span>“It’s fine.”<br/>
<br/>
Riku </span><span>props a hand on his hip</span><span>. </span><span>That teasing grin of his is back.</span><span> “Did you just scald yourself to prove a point?”<br/>
<br/>
“No.”<br/>
<br/>
“Are you alright?” Sora asks </span><span>completely earnestly.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
“It’s </span><em>fine</em><span>,” Vanitas presses. He feels the cocoa burning in his stomach, but he can’t tell if it’s from the heat or the </span><span>acidity of the </span><span>added </span><span>wine. </span><span>His throat tightens in a grimace.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
“</span><span>You know… I could’ve strained it for you.”<br/>
<br/>
“And you offer that </span><em>now</em><span>?” he snaps.<br/>
<br/>
“You didn’t give me the chance!”<br/>
<br/>
Riku starts laughing into his drink. “What a showoff.”<br/>
<br/>
“</span><span>Right? </span><span>What are we go</span><span>nna</span><span> do with him?” Sora sighs with faux exasperation.<br/>
<br/>
“</span><span>He’s such a handful.”<br/>
<br/>
“Guys,” Vanitas mutters.<br/>
<br/>
Sora sidles up next to him. His lips are already stained violet from the wine. “But… at least he’s cute.”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh, I’ll show you cute.”<br/>
<br/>
Riku leers closer </span><span>as well</span><span>. “I can’t wait to see it.”<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas could smash his stupid pretty face. “I’m still considering pouring that cocoa into your eyes.”<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>He has another sip, making a funny face as the lumpy drink passes his lips. “I don’t </span><span>know </span><span>if it’ll pour, exactly. You might need </span><span>to use </span><span>a spoon.”<br/>
<br/>
“Hey!” Sora objects. He’s pouting again. </span><span>He slumps over dramatically.</span><span> “You don’t have to say it like that…”<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>Riku grins. He lives for Sora’s pouting face. </span><span>“</span><span>I</span><span>t’s the taste that really matters, right? </span><span>So y</span><span>ou did a pretty good job. Vanitas would’ve burned it.” </span><span>He</span><span> just </span><em>had</em><span> to drag him into it, huh?<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas punches his arm. “And </span><em>Riku</em><span> would’ve made it with so much sugar it’d be undrinkable.” In fact, he was probably just thinking of adding more chocolate.<br/>
<br/>
</span><span>He shrugs a shoulder, and doesn’t argue. Lunatic.</span><span><br/>
<br/>
Sora holds onto his mug with both hands. “</span><span>Even if you did, </span><span>I’d drink it anyway,” he chuckles.<br/>
<br/>
“Tch. That’s because you have bad taste.”<br/>
<br/>
“I put up with you two, don’t I?”<br/>
<br/>
“Exactly!” Vanitas points.<br/>
<br/>
“Right. I can’t even leave the room to make cocoa without you guys making out on the floor.” Look at that little sneer. Vanitas knows exactly what he wants—the reaction Sora is expecting. Vanitas isn’t cruel enough to deny him.<br/>
<br/>
Although… His fingers delicately trace Sora’s jawline. “Your jealous face is so cute.”<br/>
<br/>
Sora only purses his lips. “We’re not talking about me.”<br/>
<br/>
“But am I wrong?”<br/>
<br/>
Riku shakes his head through the last, painful gulp of his cocoa. “Not at all.”<br/>
<br/>
“Oh! Riku!” Sora whines. Vanitas snickers at the pitiful look on his face.<br/>
<br/>
Riku’s grin is so smug. He gestures to Sora’s half-empty mug of cocoa and wine. “Your drink is getting cold.”<br/>
<br/>
He stares down into the frothy, purple drink. He doesn’t look as excited about it as he did before. “Well, the thing is… it’s… kind of lumpy.”<br/>
<br/>
Vanitas drops his head in his hands.<br/>
<br/>
</span><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The hot cocoa bit definitely didn't come from real life experience, no way. I didn't add chilled wine to hot milk. Don't look at me like that. (But for real, red wine in hot chocolate is Very Good and I do recommend it, just... temper the wine, yeah?)</p>
<p>  <a href="https://twitter.com/VaniVeniVici">-pluto</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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